Writing a wellness journal can positively impact your mental health, it is a mindfulness practice to reduce stress and bring clarity by writing down your feelings and experiences.

This practice also seeks to create spaces for self-knowledge so that you connect deeply with your emotions, promoting reflection and determining the acceptance of those emotions, whether they are positive or negative.

Some benefits are:

• Improves your emotional health
• Helps you organise your head
• Allows self-knowledge
• Stimulates your creativity

Here are some steps to get you started with journaling:

1. Organize your thoughts

What do you want to write about? What’s going on? How do you feel? What are you thinking about? What do you want? Name it.

2. Review or reflect

Review or reflect on it. Close your eyes. Take three deep breaths. Focus. You can start with ‘I feel’ or ‘today’…

3. Investigate

Investigate your thoughts and feelings. Start writing and keep writing. If you get stuck, close your eyes and re-centre your mind. Re-read what you’ve already written and continue writing.

4.Time yourself

Write for 5-15 minutes. Write the start time and the projected end time at the top of the page. If you have an alarm/timer on your PDA or phone, set it. Try to find a pleasant space, in which you sit comfortably, take this moment and make it a self-care moment of the day.

5. Exit smart

Exit smart by re-reading what you’ve written and reflecting on it in a sentence or two: “As I read this, I notice–“ or “I’m aware of–“ or “I feel–“. Note any action steps to take.

There are different techniques you can try depending on what style of writing you like, it can be: The 5 Minute Journal, Bullet Journaling or free writing among others.

Don’t forget to get yourself a journal specifically for this activity. We are currently loving Melpom Classic Notebooks and The Moonlists, a workbook with 12 months of undated journaling prompts and weekly list-making activities.

Sources: mentee.es & whateveryourdose.com